XL97: Error Updating or Modifying Link to DDE Server Program

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, if you click Update Now, Automatic, or Manual in the Links dialog box, you may receive the following error message:

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

   EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module EXCEL.EXE at
   0137:30278a70.

   EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module KERNEL32.DLL at
   0137:bff7677a.

   EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module KERNEL32.DLL at
   0137:bff9a5d0.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• In a Microsoft Excel worksheet, you enter a formula that is linked to a dynamic data exchange (DDE) server program.

  For example, the formula may be similar to the following:

        =StockSrv|Prices!MSFT
  

      -and-
  

• In the Links dialog box, you attempt to open the DDE server program by clicking Open Source.

  Note that when you do this, you receive the following error message:

        Cannot start the source application for this object.
  

      -and-
  

• You click Update Now, Automatic, or Manual in the Links dialog box.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do not click Open Source in the Links dialog box when the selected source file is a DDE server program.

If the problem occurs, Microsoft Word 97 or Microsoft PowerPoint 97 may stop responding. When this happens, press CTRL+ALT+DEL and close any programs are not responding.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, you can create a formula that returns information from a DDE server program. The syntax of such a formula is as follows:

   =<ServerName>|<Topic>!<Value>

When you enter a formula that returns information from a DDE server program, the formula is updated each time the DDE server program broadcasts new information.

When you open a workbook that contains formulas that refer to DDE server programs, you are prompted whether to update the workbook. If you click No, the formulas in the workbook that refer to the DDE server program are not updated properly. If you want the formulas to update properly, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the Calculation tab.

3. Click to select the Update Remote References check box. Then, click OK.

There is no need to use the Links dialog box when you are working with formulas that refer to DDE server programs. Attempting to use the Links dialog box to control the connection to a DDE server program may cause problems, for example, the problem described in this article.